Punishment
by Aise
Summary: There's a thin line between Friends and Enemies. What happens if you confuse the two and end up betraying your true friends while befriending who you should be fighting?
1. Prologue to Punishment

(A/N: All the charaters who will appear in this fic are mine, and mine alone. Any attempt to reproduce this without my consent will be sued. It's called libel folks, punishable by law, so you better not try anything. Final note, Ragnarok is owned by Gravity Corp. and Lee Myoungjin. I am in no way trying to steal his creation. With all that said, let's get on with the story eh?)

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Prologue:

The rain came crashing down on the muddy ground. Winds blew fiercely sending rocks and similar objects flying into the dark abyss which is the night. Branches broke from their trees and were tossed around like measly paper in the wind. A second lightning bolt crashed, along with it deafening thunder. It tore open a tree nearby, making pieces of wood fly about. Amongst nature's chaos, two figures stood, eyes locked onto each other, neither breaking the gaze.

One of the figures, a wizard, chuckled lightly.

"It has come to this eh? Well...I guess, in the back of my mind, I always knew it would."

The other figure, a sage now, answered back in a calm tone.

"Yes it has my friend. How I had hoped that this wouldn't happen...If only you didn't interfere..." he shook his head to show how...disappointed he was at the person in front of him. He couldn't bring himself to do this, even if he knows it must be done. How could he? He was his friend and he wasn't the type to kill a friend because of trivial matters he brought upon himself.

The wizard chuckles once again.

"Poor me. I guess this is it Ace...Time to say goodbye old friend." He got into his fighting stance, bringing his wand out.

"What's done is done...Yes it is time...Good bye to you as well..." was all Ace said as he himself got into his ready stance, now a special dagger in his hand. He looked like he was ready to kill anything that moved within that place.

Lightning struck the ground, illuminating the place. The two lunged at each other, starting their duel of destiny...

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Well...That was short...I promise the next ones will be longer, be patient with me.


	2. Meetings

Chapter 1:

A lone sage traversed the streets of the capital. Nobody minded him since sages were common in Prontera, each one rushing to their destination. Well, this particular sage was different. He was fresh out of the Sage Academy, and he was sent here by the Arch Sages to further his knowledge and his abilities. But, unfortunately for him, this was his first time to visit Prontera. He had spent most of his life in the Geffenian area, particularly Aldebaran. In other words, this sage, who seemed immersed in deep thought, was, in fact, lost. He sighed as he pondered his predicament.

The sun was already setting and he still hasn't gotten the grasp of being in a city like this. He finally gave up walking around partly because his feet were sore. He found a vacant bench near the fountain of Odin and decided to rest there for a while. He found himself staring at Odin's statue. He was amazed with this creation, Odin, God of All, on his faithful horse, Sleipner. Suddenly, he heard a slight hiss behind him. He looked for the source but saw nothing. Then he looked down and saw messages on the stone road.

"Man...The one who wrote this sure has poor writing..." the sage commented. He heard a cough echo throughout that place but shrugged it off. Now his curiosity got the better of him. He followed the messages and soon he ended up a in a dark alley. There were still writings on the walls of this alley, and since he was the curious type, he followed them without hesitation. He sighed as he reached a dead end, disappointment evident in his face. He was about to go back when he felt something in his pocket, feeling around.

On instinct, he casted sight and thus revealing a rogue behind him, hand still in his pocket. The rogue started walking backwards, afraid that he had been discovered.

"And what do you think you're doing..." the sage asked him, feigning innocence.

"..." The rogue was silent as the sage kept on walking towards him. Slowly, he unsheathed a dagger behind him.

The sage was getting closer and closer. The rogue brought out his dagger and took a swipe at him. The sage immediately blocked it with his staff. Then he started chanting and soon bolts of fire came out of nowhere and hit the rogue. He staggered but still he held his ground, determined to beat this guy, whoever he was. The rogue moved quickly behind the sage and attempted to remove his armor, at which he succeeded. Thinking he has the upper hand now, he swiped again, not aware that the sage had casted another spell. A yellow sphere was in the sage's hands, which was growing bigger. Several souls erupted from the sphere and knocked back the rogue far away.

The sage reappeared beside him and was about to cast a final spell to finish this when the rogue suddenly begged for mercy.

"OK ok!!! I give up!! I still want to live!! I'm just another guy trying to make a living!! Please don't hurt me anymore!! I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!!."

The sage laughed a bit at this and cancelled his spell. Then he started walking towards the rogue to help him up.

" " he warned the rogue and started walking away. The rogue then stopped him.

The sage sighed...What now, he thought as he turned to face the rogue.

The rogue stuttered while he spoke, "C-can I a-acompany you for a while? Y-you are strong...I admit it." The person he asked seemed taken aback by what he said, taking him some time to reply.

"Alright, alright. The name's Ace, Ace Algiz. What's yours?" Ace answered finally, to which the rogue seemed pleased.

The rogue regained his composure, standing straight up, he told Ace his name proudly.

"I'm , pleased to meet you sir Ace." He bowed as he said this, making the sage blush a bit.

"What's with the bow? And the sir?" He inquired, quite curious as to why the rogue has said this.

"Just showing my respect to one as great as yourself sir." He replied back, stunning the sage for a second. Ace just sighed, thinking he won't be able to convince the rogue to stop doing that. He just walked towards the fountain once again to his bench. To his dismay, it was already taken by a pair of lovebirds, cuddling against one another. Ace just frowned at this scene being made by the two and went off to look for another bench, the rogue quickly following behind him.

Ace thought back to the two lovers back at the fountain and he sighed. How he missed her...Her eyes, her cute nose, her red lips. Her captivating voice, especially her touch. It always drove him mad with desire. He wanted her back but he knew that was now impossible.

As Ace walked on, still thinking, he didn't notice that he was near to bumping a person in front of him. Luckily, Jack was there to yank him from behind. Coming back to his senses, he turned around to face Jack, red anger in his eyes. He was about to blow his top when someone tapped him from behind. He was stunned by what he saw.

She looks just like her, Ace thought as he continued staring at the girl before him.

"Ehem.", Jack coughed.

Ace snapped back to reality and blushed, remembering what he had just done. He dropped to the ground, brought up his knees and covered his face in embarrassment. Jack just laughed at his companion's reaction while the priestess giggled. After Ace recovered from his...incident, the three introduced themselves. The pair soon learned that the priestess' name was Katherine Lockheart. Kat for short.

"Er...Hi.", Katherine said to the two. Ace stood to shake her hand, and to apologize.

"Um...Sorry for the way I acted earlier. It's just that you really remind me of someone close.", Ace explained.

"No problem Ace...Didn't mind you staring at me...", She kept her head down, cheeks tinted by red. Someone coughed from behind. It was Jack. Again. Ace shook his head. Again.

"So where to sir Ace?", Jack asked.

Might as well move...I keep getting lost in this place...Too big...Ace kept thinking about these things in his head. He didn't want to admit that HE of all of people was new to the capital.

But hey, Katherine's there right?

"How about Payon...er...Ace was it?

I wouldn't mind warping you there...", She said, her head never looking at Ace's face. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"But...There's a um...fee...", Kat continued.

Ace put a hand inside his pocket and brought out a pouch full of coins.

"How much then miss?", he asked her innocently while counting his coins.

"Oh that's not what I mean...I wanted to go with you...", She tilted her head upwards a bit to look at Ace's surprised face.

"Sure you can join us Kat! Right Ace?" Jack piped up from the side.

"H-huh? But why...?", the sage was curious as to why she would want to go with the two.

"N-nothing much...You don't expect a girl like me to stay put in this kind of place do you?", she was now fully looking at Ace's face, smiling.

"U-um....", was all Ace could say when Kat started chanting, a blue crystal in her open palm. She let it drop to the floor and soon light erupted from it.

"There you go...A portal to Payon, you two go in first.", she told them. Ace was fascinated by the portal in front of him. Jack just sighed and pushed him inside.

"Wha-Heeeey!!!", Ace yelled as he fell on the circle of light and disappeared.

"See you on the other side, my lady." He winked at her and stepped on the portal, disappearing as well. He was soon followed by Kat who closed the portal by her entering it. No trace of the portal was evident thereafter.

From across the road, a cloaked figure stood up from under a tree and walked towards a stall nearby. There was a wizard there, eyeing several pieces of excellent equipment. He pointed to one and soon after, he handed the merchant a bag full of money.

"Thank you kind sir.", the wizard bowed at the merchant.

"'Twas no problem, sir wizard, pleasure's all mine.", the merchant replied as he faced another one of his customers.

The wizard looked at his newly bought muffler, a wide grin shown on his face.

"What a bargain! Such a fine piece of armor! At such a low price as well! What a bargain, what a bargain...", he exclaimed. Then the cloaked figure approached him.

"Sir, they be goin to Payon now. Should I keep following 'em?" the figure asked grimly.

"No need good sir. I will be doing the following now if I may.", the wizard handed him a bag of zeny, bringing delight to the man's eyes. He left the man to his wonder and caught a warp bound for his next destination: Payon.


	3. A Visit

Chapter 2

A serene scene. Lush, green trees were all around the place. A coll breeze was blowing making the tress dance gracefully. Sounds of chirping birds completed the forest ambience.Then, a yell of frustration.

"Argh...We're lost aren't we...", Ace complained, glaring at Jack.

---Flashback---

Ace brought out an old map of Payon Forest and looked, rather, studied it. His face was literally pressed onto the piece of paper in his hand.

"No need for that sir Ace! I know these woods like the back of my hand!", Jack said, stealing a triumphant glance at Kat. She just smiled plainly in return. He turned back to Ace. To tell the truth, he was quite disappointed. He was trying his best to get Kat to like him, but so far nothing yet.

"I think she likes Ace better than me...", Jack thought, grumbling.

"Are you sure we're on the right track, Jack?", Ace asked still studying the map.

This broke Jack's train of thought, "Yeah, we ARE on the right track, sir Ace, don't worry..." He made a grab for that map in an effort to hide it and get Ace to relax. Ace just grabbed it back from him and soon they were in a tug-of-war. The prize?

RIIIIIPP!!

Kat turned to see Ace holding the map. Then she faced Jack only to find him holding his own map.

"Er...Whoops?", Jack said as a furious sage started charging up his spells. Jack ran around in hopes of escaping his fiery fate as Ace followed him around and around the tree making the two guys dizzy. Katherine sweatdropped at the scene before her.

---End Flashback---

Kat giggles brought Ace out of his thoughts. Then Jack sneaked to Ace's back surprising him. Ace was about to hit him when Jack pointed at something in the distance.

"Is that...a flag?...Yes it is!!", Ace exclaimed in joy.

"I told you I'd get you there sir.", Jack said proudly. He grabbed Kat's hand and made a break for the gate, leaving Ace. He soon saw the two run and chased after them, not wanting to get lost again.

After a few minutes of running, the trio reached the gates of the famous Payon Town. It wasn't as crowded as Prontera was, but it still had a lot of people, mostly archers who had just graduated. It was already night time when arrived and they all felt bushed after that "trek" Jack had put them through. They found an inn nearby and there they had a good night's sleep.

Morning

Jack, the early bird, was, yep you guessed it, was the first to rise. He went to Ace's door and knocked. A snore was his answer. Again he knocked, a bit louder. Now a loud grumble came. He tried for the third time.

"Damn it Jack stop that! It's 4 AM! I need more sleep!", Ace yelled from behind the door.

"Sheesh...No need to yell...", he mumbled. Jack found his way outside and thought of going for a stroll around the town while waiting for his friends to wake up. He enjoyed the morning breeze as it blew, calming him. It blew through his hair, through his clothes. He didn't wear the traditional rogue armor since he thought it heavy.

In the distance, Jack saw the sun rise from its hiding place in the east. He sat near the water underneath the bridge. He saw the sun cast its fiery rays over Payon. There Jack just sat, his feet dipped into the water. After a few more minutes, he walked back to the inn to check if Ace and Kat were awake.

He just sighed as he saw the two, in their casual clothes, chatting endlessly over breakfast.

"Mind if I join you guys?", Jack cut in their conversation.

"Huh? Oh hey Jack." Kat looked at him and smiled making him blush. The sage chuckled.

"Sit down man, and eat something, you look hungry." Ace then called the waiter over for Jack and he ordered his breakfast, a simple scrambled egg and some bacon.

Ace drank his coffee while Kat finished her juice as they waited for Jack's food. Finally it arrived and Jack gulfed it down fast. After he finished, they thought about wandering around town for a bit. First stop was the refinery where they tested their luck.

After an hour of clanking and hammering and crying, a happy sage, rogue and priestess came out of the building. They were all proud of their new equipment. For Ace, his cranial was improved greatly and was its peak defense capabilities. Jack held two items, his special bow and his dagger. Both seeming to emanate power. Kat just stared a her bible. Ace had volunteered to upgrade it, making it reach maximum strength, earning him a kiss on the cheek from Kat.

"Glad to be of help to a pretty lady.", he just said after she thanked him.

"What next?", Jack asked them.

As they continued walking, Kat tripped on a rock in front of her. Luckily, a pair of strong hands caught her before she fell. Then she opened her eyes to the sight of the most beatiful pair of brown irises she had ever seen.

"Are you alright miss?", the man asked, a Payonese accent evident.

"Y-y-y...", was all Kat managed to say.

"She's alright. You can put her down now...", Jack butt in, he was getting irritated seeing Kat in HIS arms, not his.

"If you say so fella," the man placed Kat gently back on the ground.

"T-thank you..." Kat finally said with a little difficulty, since she was still embarrassed. She quickly went behind Ace and hid herself.

"Hey, thanks for the help. By the, way didn't catch your name.", Ace approached the stranger, Kat still behind him.

"Wolfe. Nicholas Wolfe.", the hunter bowed.

"Well, I'm Ace Algiz. That rogue over there is Jack Nols and this beautiful lady behind me is Katherine Lockheart.", Jack went on introducing them.

"Pleased to meet you all,"Nicholas bowed again.

"H-hi..." Kat mumbled from behind Ace.

"Yeah...Hi..." Jack said through gritted teeth.

A screech of a bird was then heard from above, causing the three to look up. The screech came from a falcon, which landed on Nicholas' outstretched arm.

"This is Uno, my falcon," Nicholas introduced his pet; while it pecked him signaling it wanted food.Nicholas fed it and after it finished, it looked around and found Ace. It just stared at him.

"Erm...Wh-why is it looking at me like that...?" Ace asked, preparing to jump if it be needed. The falcon soared into the sky flew to Ace's shoulder, nipping his ear.

"H-hey that tickles!" Ace laughed.

"That's weird. I never thought he'd like anybody esle. Usually he claws other people," Nicholas explained while Kat and Jack backed off. Ace continued laughing.

"This isn't so bad. Say, can he stay with me for a while? If you don't mind that is," Ace requested.

"Oh sure, no problem. He seems to like you anyway,"Nicholas smiled as Ace continued playing with the falcon.

"Come pet it, Kat. He won't hurt you, I promise.", Ace smiled, reassuring Kat. She stretched out a hand to it. And surprisingly for her, it let her. Jack's turn now. But him being who he is, well let's just say that he needed a lot of bandages and Ace and Rob laughed endlessly after.

"O-o-o-oWWW!!!" Jack yelled inside his room as Kat treated his wounds.

"Why did you have to that Jack? You had to push your luck didn't you?", Kat was a bit mad at him.

"Sorry..." Jack apologized.

"Oh it's ok...Just don't try that again," she hugged him. She was surprised when he hugged her back. Thoughts now flooded her mind and she felt like crying. It was too much for her. She felt confused because of what Jack did.

"Aw...That is so sweet," a familiar voice came from the door way.

"Ace..." Jack said when Kat pushed him lightly. He lay down on his bed and slept.

Kat walked over to Ace and hugged him as well. Then she cried into his shirt. No words were needed. He hugged him back, rubbing her back to stop her sobs. Then he led her outside. They passed by Rob's room and found him and his falcon asleep.

"Hey Kat, wanna come with me tonight?" Ace asked her as they reached the door.

"Huh? Where Ace?" Kat said, traces of tears still on her face.

Ace wiped her face clean and told her, "Oh just somewhere. C'mon, what do you say? It'll be our date."

"O-ok then Ace...Let me go get dressed."

"Sure Kat, take your time, we're not rushing." Ace smiled. After a few minutes, Kat was out, dressed in a fitted pink skirt and a matching pink shirt, which just complimented her hair and her eyes.

"Wow...You are on pretty girl...Especially in that.", Ace told her. She blushed at his comment.

Some residents and hoodlums in the area took a glance at Kat. And just plain stared at her, appraising her body. Their eyes wandered to parts of her body that I would not want to mention. They only stopped when they noticed her companion's hand erupting little sparks. Then they went back to whatever they were doing but the picture they had of the lady was still fresh in their minds.

"You sure do attract a lot of attention Kat..." Ace said. She just took his hand and they continued walking towards Archer Village.

"Hey, where are those two headed? Hm..." A wizard followed closely, his light bulb of a head, shining.

"Better follow them..." he said to himself as he stalked the couple.


	4. The Dance

To Tom Valor: Thanks for the advice.

To the rest of you: Well here it is, my next chap, I got a bit mushy when I wrote this so forgive me. Enjoy!

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Chapter 3 

The sight of a party greeted Ace and Kat as they entered Archer Village. Music could be heard throughout and several decorations were put up amongst the trees and various plants there.

"So this is where all the people are...", Kat said in awe.

"Yep! Someone leaked that there was going to be a party here. I decided to bring you along. Seems like you need it!", Ace shouted over the music.

"Thanks Ace! Let's go!", she pecked him on the cheek, pulling him towards the party place. There, in the middle, were a group of dancers and bards performing.

Kat just started dancing to the beat of the music.

"Isn't that a bit much for a priestess such as yourself miss Lockheart?" Ace smirked, joining her.

She put her arms around him his neck and told him, "I'm not a priestess tonight Ace..." she smiled knowingly.

"Ah yes..." Ace put his arms around her waist. Then a new song started, this time slower.

"A slow dance...Great...I'm not good at these..." Ace thought, flashing a smile at Kat to which she smiled back. She was enjoying the dance, mostly because Ace was there. She didn't want this to end yet. And it didn't.

The two took in each other's appearance, quietly appraising each other. They danced into the next song, a love song. They swayed along with the rhythm. His hands separated and he placed them on her waist. Kat's hands moved to his chest. They were savoring each other's touch, and wanted more.

Their heads were getting nearer and nearer, inch by inch. One of Kat's hands moved to the back of Ace's head, pulling hi closer. Ace pulled her and claimed her lips. He slowed his pace and let her enjoy this moment. Then he felt a slow caress on his lips. He smiled inwardly and accepted her tongue.

Ace set his own tongue to work, lovingly touching hers, as if it was the most fragile thing in the world. She moaned into the kiss, showing how much she loved this. Her hands began to pull Ace closer when he stepped back for air. Kat groaned at this. The sage smiled at her and went back to kissing her.

His hands started the exploration of her body. He started with her waist, moving down to her hips, getting her to lightly moan. Ace's hands found their way to her back. He rubbed her there a long while. It seemed to relax her so he continued. After a few more minutes, his hands moved to her neck. When he touched her there, she pulled back a bit.

She looked into his eyes, trying to find something in them. Finally she found it. She had been trying to look for this for a long time. Love. Trust. Ace's eyes showed it. He really loves me, she thought. She moved in again for a third kiss to which Ace offered no resistance at all, making her smile. As the song ended, the kiss ended. Both of them feeling happy and satisfied. They hugged each other and found a seat under a tree.

"Did you enjoy that Kat?" Ace asked her as he stared up at that stars.

"Yes…Very much…" Kat replied, looking at the stars herself. Except that these stars were reflected in Ace's eyes. Then Ace looked at her and placed a quick kiss on her lips. The two stood up and walked back to the inn. They stopped at Kat's door and said good night to each other. Kat went inside and slept, still thinking about what had happened.

Morning

Once again, Jack is the first to wake up. He groaned in pain, partly because his wounds haven't healed yet. He went to wash his face; yelps of pain came from his mouth. After he had finished, he went to Ace's door. Three knocks like the day before.

"Strange…No sound. He didn't even yell," Jack said to himself. He shrugged and went to see if the hunter was awake. Nicholas' door stood ajar, with no one inside. Jack went outside to see if he could find him. There, near the temple, was Nicholas, sitting down, feeding his falcon. Arrows were sprawled all over the ground.

"What you up to Wolfe?" Jack asked as he neared the hunter.

"Oh, hi Jack. Nothing much…Just practicing with my bow," Nicholas replied, Then Jack got an idea.

"Mind if I join you?" Jack had a big grin on his face.

"Huh? How? I thought rogues used daggers and swords?" Nicholas seemed confused.

"Of course we do. But that doesn't stop us from mastering other weapons right?" the grin never left the rogue's face.

"Hm…Alright rogue…Show me what you got," Nicholas stood up, gathering his things, while Jack ran in to get his bow.

-Inside-

Ace awake to the noise of hurried footsteps outside his door.

"Ugh…Stupid rogue…What is he doing runnin' around at this hour…" Ace mumbled. He took off his covers and proceeded to the bathroom to take a bath. After he had finished, he put on a loose white shirt and a pair of pants. He went to Kat's door only to find it open. He peered inside to see of she was awake.

"Hey, no peeking!" came a girl's voice as Ace's head appeared behind the door. The sage quickly closed the door, blood rushing to his face. Moments later, Kat came out to see a still blushing Ace.

"S-sorry Kat! I didn't mean to see you er…like that. I just went to see if you were awake," Ace explained.

"No problem Ace," she looked up at him, smiling. He breathed a sigh of relief. Kat took his arm and dragged him downstairs to eat.

-Outside-

WOOSH!

An arrow whizzed across the grounds, straight at the bull's eye.

"Not bad rogue, not bad at all," the hunter complimented Jack.

"Not too shabby yourself hunter. I'm done shooting arrows for the day. I'll be taking my bath now," Jack announced.

"Alright, good idea. I'll take on myself," Jack helped Nicholas stand and they proceeded inside the inn. As they walked inside, someone called out to them.

"Hey guys! Come join us!" a priestess yelled out, a sage by her side.

"I guess the bath can wait!" Jack said as he rushed to the table. The hunter shook his head, shrugged and went back to his room.

"My, you look – oh bacon and eggs thanks – you look cheery today Kat," Jack said as he ordered his food. "Something happen?" the rogue got curious.

"Oh n-nothing Jack…" the priestess tried hiding the red appearing on her face.

"Jack, there's your food. Eat and go take a bath, you smell," Ace told him making Jack scowl at him.

"Alright, fine…" Jack grumbled, eating his food quick. He stood up, put some zeny on the table and walked to his room to take a bath. After he was gone, the two started talking again.

"Thanks…" Kat whispered.

"For what Kat?" Ace asked back.

"For back there with Jack…and for last night…" Kat's voice got softer and softer, all the while blushing fiercely as her thoughts went back to last night.

"Think nothing of it love…" Ace whispered in her ear, making her shiver. She liked how he talked like that.

"So, what's up guys?" Nicholas now approached the table.

"Nothing much, you?" Ace went back to his seat.

"Just a little shooting practice with the rogue. Man, can he shoot with a bow. I always thought rogues weren't good at that kind of thing," Nicholas told Ace, while eating his food.

"You didn't know?" the sage asked flatly.

"Was I supposed to?" the hunter countered making Ace laugh.

Soon all four were outside, basking in the sun's golden rays. So peaceful, so quiet, so…

"KAAAAAATTT!!!"

"Ugh so loud…" Ace sighed.

Kat was whirled around by a pair of hands.

"H-huh?" Kat was a bit surprised.

"Don't you remember me? It's me, Regan!" a blonde haired dancer smiled at Kat.

"R-regan…Oh yeah! I remember now! Back at the academy," Kat smiled back as she recalled the memories of Regan.

"So Kat, how've you been? Who are all these cute guys with you? Is one of them you boyfriend? Did you two do it yet?" Regan fired question after question, making Kat, and surprisingly Ace, blush. The dancer smiled at Kat and the sage, who was now in front of Kat.

"You guys wait here, I'll go call someone, okay?" Regan walked away, her hips swaying, earning wolf calls and stares from the men around. Including a particular rogue, and his hunter friend.

"W-wow…" Nicholas was speechless and so was Jack as their eyes followed Regan.

"Kat, you can stop hiding behind me now, she's gone," Ace told the girl behind him.

"I know that Ace…C-can I stay here for awhile though? Your back is warm…" Kat answered, her face buried in Ace's robes.

"Uh, sure Kat…No problem, take your time," Ace felt hands hug him. He placed his hands over hers. The two stayed like this until Regan came back with a handsome bard beside her.

"Guys, this is Lance Calypso," Regan introduced her friend to the group.

"Hiya," Lance said, smiling warmly.

"Forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Jack Nols," Jack shook the bard's hand.

"I'm Nicholas Wolfe, and this is my falcon, Uno," he said, pointing to the falcon on his shoulder.

"Hm…Calypso…I know that name…" Ace whispered to himself.

"Katherine Lockheart, call me Kat…" the priestess shyly said.

"What about you cutie? What's your name?" Regan approached Ace.

"Oh sorry…I was thinking of something…I'm Ace, Ace Algiz," he bowed.

"Nice name handsome. Oh and nice pick for your girlfriend," this last part she whispered in his ear. He laughed nervously. She just giggled, returning to his partner's side.

"Mind if we join your group? It gets kinda lonely with only the two of us," Regan asked sweetly.

"N-no problem Miss Regan," Jack immediately replied.

"Thanks sweetie!" Regan bowed her thanks. This gave Jack a view to remember. She showed him a very good show of her chest. The rogue took his time.

"Naughty boy," Regan looked up and put on a face of mock anger. She waved a finger at him and went off with Lance to get their things. The rest of them turned to face Jack.

"Perv…" Ace said as he walked back to the inn, Kat tagging along with him.

"Nice one man…" Nicholas actually congratulated Jack and gave a pat on the back. They both smirked and went off to shoot some more arrows.

After about an hour, the six of them were outside the inn, all things packed.

"So where to guys?" Regan asked expectantly. No one came up with an answer causing her to sigh. While they were thinking, they didn't notice a man, specifically a wizard, walking up to them.

"Excuse me, which one of you is Mister Ace Algiz?" the wizard asked the group.

"Er..I am," Ace stepped forward and bowed.

"Oh so YOU are the Ace Algiz…May I ask something of you good sir?" the wizard requested.

"Sure go ahead," Ace answered him, flashing a cautious look at Kat. She shrugged.

"Would you like to join my guild, The Zenith sir?"

* * *

I'll post the next chapter in a few hours. My fingers hurt now. 


	5. An Invitation

I'll add the personalities soon...Give me time...I'm too sleepy to write at the moment. Oh and Annika Lee was it? Thanks for the advice hehe subukan ko ausin ung story para sayo at kay Tom Valor.

Here is Chapter 4 of Punishment. Please enjoy!

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Chapter 4

Ace stood there, shocked, stunned, you name it. It's understandable really. The Zenith was among the most powerful guilds in Midgard, second only to the legendary guild, Destiny's Rival and its brother guild, Immortality Achieved. Both comprised if the heroes who freed Rune-Midgard from the clutches of the evils that roamed the land.

The others stared on in disbelief.

"I-I…M-me?" Ace strained to say.

"Yes. You, sir Algiz, are invited to join the Zenith. We have kept a close on eye on you ever since you finished your…mission for the mage academy.

Ace's eyebrows narrowed in suspicion. How did he know of that? Ace thought. Of course, he was wizard. A high ranking one, but Ace was oblivious to this fact. The thought disintegrated from his mind with a question from the wizard.

"So what would be you final answer sir sage? Of course, I'll give you more time to think it over, if need be," the wizard offered kindly. Ace glanced at Kat, hoping to get some help on this matter. She smiled at him and nodded her approval.

"Alright wizard, I accept your offer," Ace said after a while. The others shouted their congratulations to him.

"Excellent, excellent," the wizard made no effort in hiding his glee. He then handed a communicator and an armband to Ace.

"Use this as a means of contacting your guild mates," he motioned to the communicator in Ace's right hand.

"And that armband shows your loyalty to the guild," he gestured for Ace to put it on.

"Oh where are my manners, I have forgotten to mention my name. I am Arthur Stormraid."

Ace gaped at the wizard in front him. Other gasps were heard from behind him.

"THE Arthur Stormraid?! You're a legend in the academy!" Ace exclaimed, surprised. The wizard chuckled lightly.

"Oh please, enough of that," Arthur smiled at him. Then his eyes lit up.

"Would you like to visit our base? It's not far from here," the wizard offered. "If you want, you can bring along a friend, if it'll make you comfortable."

Ace thought for a moment, deciding on who he should take. Wait, he didn't need to think for this one.

"Kat, I'll take you along," he suddenly blurted out as he turned to look at the priestess.

"A-alright Ace…If you want me too…" came Kat's soft reply. Arthur then spoke into his communicator. Moments later, a priest appeared right beside Arthur, almost knocking the wizard down.

"Oh sorry about that Arthur," came the priest's deep voice, seeming to issue forth an air of authority.

"No worries Avalon," the wizard grinned. The priest noticed Ace and his friends looking at them.

"Is that him Arthur?" he whispered to Arthur. The wizard nodded in answer.

"Oh, high priest Avalon! What a surprise to see you here!" Kat stepped up and bowed at the priest. Avalon raised an eyebrow at her; something seems familiar about this woman…

"Lockheart? Katherine Lockheart? Haha! Nice to see you again! Long time no see priestess!"

Kat smiled at the man before her and bowed respectfully at him.

"Shall we get going then?" Arthur spoke up, impatience present in his voice.

"Sure sir Arthur. Kat?" Ace answered as Kat nodded and went to him.

"How about you guys? Where will you be while we're gone?" Ace turned to the group.

"Oh nothing much, guess we'll be in the inn resting," Jack said.

"Maybe by the caves as well," Nicholas added. Regan and Lance nodded in agreement.

"Alright, now that that's settled, let's go!" the wizard motioned for the priest to open a portal. Avalon held a small gem in his hands, uttering a quiet prayer and soon Ace found himself on the ground dizzy again.

"Ack…Can't get the hang of those warp portals," Ace groaned. Kat giggled at him just when a thunderous voice came from behind them.

"Welcome back master Arthur. How did your search go? Successful I hope?" a giant asked Arthur.

"Yes. Here he is, the one I've been looking for," the wizard pointed at the sage. "By the way sir Algiz, this is Bruno, the head of the citadel guardians here," Bruno bowed at the mention of his name.

"Pleased to meet you Bruno," Ace tried bowing too but was having a bit of difficulty. Kat was behind him again, tugging at his robes. She seemed to be afraid of Bruno.

"Kat c'mon. He isn't that scary. Now get out of there," Ace sternly told Kat. She moved away from him, hear head down, arms folded. But Ace hugged her.

"I-I'm okay Ace…" She whispered but still he hugged her. He made sure she really was okay before he released her. They caught up with Arthur and Avalon who were already far from them. Soon they were at a huge double-door. Bruno pushed back the doors and they went in. Arthur uttered a word of thanks to the giant. Inside, they were met by a knight.

"Hey master, hey sir Avalon!" the knight yelled from the other side of the room. Heads turned in the knight's direction.

"Well, I'll be going…" the priest mumbled as walked off.

"This is Raven Slenderfang. Raven, this Ace Algiz, a new recruit and Kathering Lockheart, his priestess friend," the wizard introduced the two. Ace offered a hand shake but the knight didn't seem to see it. He was concentrated on…Something other things.

"H-hello…" Kat mumbled, she noticed that she was under the gaze of Raven and quickly hid behind Ace.

Damn, she saw me…The knight shook his head, sighed and went back to his seat to sleep.

"Some guy…" Ace muttered.

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Don't worry...It gets better in the next chapter, be patient and review


	6. The Fight

To Annika Lee: Yea, you and Tom are right, I really do need to put some personality. Now I'm getting confused. Oh btw, I read your bio, Stc ka pla? 2-1 pa? dun rin pinsan ko, sakto sa 2-1, de guzman sya, kilala ka rin ng sis ko hehehe /no1 merry christmas!

To asuran-73: hey, this update's for you dude! Enjoy!

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Chapter 5

Arthur continued the tour of the Zenith's base and was soon back at the entrance. Then a portal opened behind them. Ace Algiz turned around to see who had come. He recognized on of them almost instantly.

"Scythe!!!" he yelled. An assassin turned around to see the sage running to him.

"Yo Ace! Wazzapenin' man????" the assassin shouted. They met halfway and gave each other high fives. Ace saw the assassin turn to face Kat.

"This your girlfriend? Nice pick dude!" he laughed when Ace and the priestess blushed.

"Um…This is Katherine Lockheart. Kat for short," he wanted to change the subject. The assassin laughed at Ace's effort as Kat stretched out a hand. Scythe ignored it. A momentary flash of anger appeared in Ace's eyes, which was directed at the assassin before him.

"That huntress is Annie Dagaz, and the priest is Michael Gomez," the four shook hands with each other.

"Are these the new recruits Ann?" a voice came from behind Ace.

"Leader! Ummm…Yes they are the new recruits," she reported.

"A pleasure to meet you Scythe Othilla, descendant of Shudoushi Othilla," the wizard offered a hand, which the assassin ignored once again. He turned and walked away.

"I don't talk to people who don't have manners," he told him. Ah, Arthur didn't say his name, Ace thought. The wizard seemed intimidated though.

"Oh, and don't refer to me as HIS descendant, he's just my uncle," Scythe added. Ace saw the assassin and his friends walk towards a large door and enter it. He let go of his breath. He didn't notice he was holding it in.

"Sorry about that sir…" Ace apologized on behalf of Scythe. The wizard nodded and walked away.

"By the way, there will be a meeting later, you are free until then. I will notify you when it will start," with a swish of his cloak, Arthur turned a corner and disappeared. Ace sighed again.

"That Scythe…If only…" Ace whispered to himself. But Kat had overheard.

"If only what Ace?" Kat asked innocently.

"Oh nothing Kat, don't mind it," Ace smiled and offered his arm, which she took. Before they could step forward, someone called out their banes, it was Michael.

"You are Michael, correct?" Ace turned to face him.

"Yeah," Michael flashed a handsome smile, a smile meant for Kat. Ace quickly noticed this but decided to let it pass for now.

"So, how long have you two been in this guild eh?" Michael asked as he moved along side Kat.

"Oh not long, Ace has been here only this morning," Kat smiled at him.

"Really? Us too!" the priest told her.

"They're having fun…" Ace grumbled and shoved his hands into his robes as he followed behind the two. This continued for hours, and Ace was catching on to Michael's advances. He was actually flirting with Kat. His anger flared to dangerous levels, as hour per hour passed. Then he snapped when Michael put an arm around Kat's waist.

Ace reeled back, steadied his balled hand and punched Michael.

"Don't touch her…" Ace warned him. He slowly advanced towards the fallen priest, emitting an aura of power. In his head, Ace went from one brutal way of hurting the man, to another. A million ideas went, each a lot more gruesome than the last. He pointed a single finger at Michael and began chanting. He was interrupted by arms wrapping around his waist.

"Ace please stop…Please?" came Kat's soft voice. Ace hesitated for a moment but he eventually lowered his hand.

"Thank you…" Kat whispered and kissed him on the cheek.

"Go back to Scythe priest. Don't ever touch her again, understand? This is your last warning from me," Ace said menacingly, trying to hold back his rage. The priest stood up and rushed away.

Ace turned to face the woman behind him. His anger slowly disappearing when he saw Kat was about to cry.

"Hey don't cry…I'm sorry…Guess I'm a little too protective of you…" Ace told her.

"I-it's alright…Be as protective as you want…I'm yours…Only yours…" she looked up at him and smiled weakly. Ace lowered his head to meet her lips in a deep kiss. They stood like that until Ace's communicator beeped.

"Ace, time for the meeting, bring your friend along," the communicator closed.

"Alright then, shall we go Kat?" Ace asked at a mesmerized Kat.

"Uh, s-sure Ace. Whatever you say," she replied. Ace hid a smile.

The two proceeded to a sealed room. Arthur pointed this out as their guild meeting room. Ace opened the doors and they went in.

"Take a seat Ace. We'll start once everyone's here," the wizard offered a seat to Ace. The sage, in turn, pulled a chair out for before seating himself. He looked around the room to see the various members of the guild. Of course, wizard Arthur Stormraid was there. To his right was the knight, Raven Slenderfang. Again he was eyeing Kat, a look of lust showed on his face. Ace put an arm around her protectively and glared at him.

Ace examined the other members just as Scythe and his friends entered. The assassin took a seat beside Ace and put his feet up on the table. Ace, Kat, Annie and Michael snickered while the rest of the guild made faces of disgust, aimed at the assassin.

"Better learn respect dumb!" the knight yelled at Scythe. The assassin stood up and in a blink of an eye, he put his deadly katars around the knight's neck.

"We can always suspend the meeting. Scythe, Raven, settle this in the arena!" Arthur ordered. The guild went to the arena to watch the two fight. They all sat down and started cheering, mostly for Raven, but the assassin didn't look a bit intimidated.

"Ready, set…BATTLE!!!" a monk announced. Both the assassin and the knight stood still. Raven got impatient and charged. His sword, a claymore, glowed a whitish light. He took swipe at Scythe but saw that the assassin wasn't there anymore. The knight turned around only to see a foot kick him, sending him flying towards a wall. The audience gasped in surprise when they saw what happened. Raven, the strongest in their guild, was getting pummeled, by an assassin!

Raven stood up once again but this time he put on a defensive stance. Scythe moved in for the kill. In less than a second, he moved to knight's front, slashing him, followed up by a kick to the chest. Raven Slenderfang fell down, flat on his back as Scythe put a foot on his neck.

The assassin told Raven something which was barely audible to the crowd. He continued adding pressure to the knight's neck. Ace looked around and several men stood up to try and stop Scythe, but failed.

Then a blur of pink whizzed past Ace towards the arena.

"Ann…" Ace whispered closing his eyes.

"Scythe, he's now worth killing!" the huntress cried out, running to him. Ace opened his eyes to see the huntress crying on Scythe's chest while the assassin moved away from his victim.

"Guess the fight's decided," Ace motioned to Kat and went out of the arena. Kat held his hand, moving her head to lean on his shoulder.

"Don't ever get into things like that, okay Ace?" she looked up, worried for his life. Ace smiled at her and put his arms around her shoulders, hugging her. After a few minutes of wandering, someone called from behind. Ace noticed the sound of clanging armor.

"Hey wait!" the man yelled, stopping them. The knight regained his poise as he neared the couple.

"I got permission from the guild master…" he said bringing out a communicator and an armband,"…to invite Kat to the guild." He put the items into Kat's hands.

"Thank you Raven…" the priestess bowed, pocketing the items. Ace eyed him suspiciously. What is he up to? Ace thought. The knight turned around, hiding a mischievous smirk on his face. Then he turned a corner and disappeared from view.

"Something's up with that guy…" he voiced his thoughts.

"Huh? What do you mean Ace?" she said, a bit confused.

"Nothing, nothing…Forget about it Kat," the sage started walking. Kat brought her armband and put it on, grinning. Soon they reached Ace's room.

"Well, this is me," Ace said, glancing at Kat.

"Um…Can I stay with you tonight?" Kat asked him cautiously.

"H-huh?" he was a bit surprised at her…request.

"B-because they h-haven't readied my r-room…" she said looking, try to hide her face.

"Ah…Sure Kat, you can stay here. In fact, I'll ask if this can be your room as well," he said.

"Thanks Ace!" she said jumping and hugging him. Ace opened the door and they stepped in. Kat moved to the bed and sat on it.

"Wow…These sure are soft!" she said grabbing one of the pillows to lie on. Ace laughed at her child-like behavior. He took off his robe and went inside the bathroom. After a few minutes, a loose shirt and long shirts replaced his usual sage uniform.

"I know something else that's soft…" he stared at her, a big grin on his face. Kat blushed fiercely when she got what he meant by that. She went to him and playfully punched him on his shoulder.

"Ow," Ace said, feigning pain while laughing. Kat laughed with him. They stopped after a while.

Kat turned around so that her back was facing Ace.

"Hey Ace, can you unzip my uniform? I can't reach the zipper," she said while making an effort to reach the said zipper.

"Sure Kat…" the sage moved towards her back. He put one hand behind her ear and one to her neck. He caressed those places gently, getting Kat to moan lightly. Then one hand moved to the zipper and pulled it down. Ace then moved back but quickly turned around when Kat let her garment fall, while turning to face him.

"Naughty boy…" she smiled. Ace turned around to see a grinning Kat in a pink mini-skirt with a tight white shirt.

"Sexy," Ace commented, moving to kiss her. As soon as he reached her, the guild communicator beeped.

"Ace, meeting, now," a voice said. Ace sighed.

"Shall we?" Ace opened the door. Kat nodded and went outside. The two made their way towards the meeting room. Again, the wizard was there. But the knight constantly sat and stood and paced around the room. He seemed agitated for some reason.

Soon, Scythe, accompanied by Ann and the priest Michael entered the room. Raven eyed the newcomers and sat down. Scythe just stood there.

"We are here to discuss the rematch," Ace seemed a bit confused. What rematch? "It will be a 2-on-2 match. You can not choose your closest friends as your team mate, which means Scythe, you can not choose Michael or Ann. Okay, choose your team mates," the wizard announced.

Ace saw Raven choose the high priest. Hey wait a minute, if Scythe can't pick any of those two, then…

Scythe pointed at Ace. Of course, the sage was a bit shocked but didn't object.

"Sure, I'll help you," Ace stood up at those words. Then he took a glance on Kat's disapproving face.

"The battle will take place tomorrow morning in the guild arena," the wizard said. All of them nodded their heads and went to their rooms. Only two figures were left.

"What's wrong with you Ace?!" Kat shouted at the sage. "I thought you wouldn't join any of those things!! What if you died huh? What then?!" the priestess' eyes were red and tears were already falling. All through out, Ace didn't speak. He let her bring out all her anger.

With one final yell, she exited the room. Ace just sat there, thinking.

"Was I wrong? Should I have not agreed to this? Argh! Damn it!!" he slammed his clenched fists on the table.

Kat was stomping back to her room. She was still crying so her vision was a bit blurred. She didn't notice a person standing in front of her.

"Whoa there, you okay?" the figure spoke.

"Yes I am! Now move!" she yelled, wiping her tears.

"Hey c'mon! I won't hurt you. You're Kat right?" the person asked.

"Huh? Raven?" she blinked once and saw a knight.

"Yep. So, what happened to you?" the knight asked, concerned. Kat went on telling the whole story. After which she cried again.

"Aw, that's okay Kat…" he hugged her. She hugged hum back. He grinned evilly.

Ace slammed the door shut as he walked back to his room.

"I'll back out…I don't want to see her like this…" he said to himself.

"Last turn…" he whispered as he reached an intersection. As he turned, he saw two people hugging. He wasn't the gossipy type so he just walked on. As he neared them he saw something familiar. A pink skirt. Kat. And who's this guy she's with?

The knight…Raven Slenderfang. He was hugging her. His eyes flashed dangerously. He was getting ready to attack but decided against it.

"Tomorrow Slenderfang…" he slammed the door again as he went inside his room. The sound startled Kat and quickly broke the hug. She ran to her door, not looking back at Raven. The knight had an evil glint in his eye as the priestess went inside. He left as well.

Kat got in just in time to see Ace get inside his bed.

"Ace I'm sorry…Please…Please…" Kat whimpered.

"Good night Kat," Ace said blankly. He heard her cry more. He didn't feel sorry for her right now. He was just plain angry at her. After she had yelled at him, she goes to a stranger and hugs him. What the hell? Ace thought.

Kat looked around and found her bed ready to sleep in. She slowly removed the covers and got in.

"I love you Ace…" she mumbled but was loud enough for Ace to hear. She turned and closed her eyes.

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How'd you like it? Comments, suggestions, flames, whatever? Oh btw, I'll post the next updateafter my cousin posts his, it will get confusing if you read only this. Anywayz, merry christmas to all of you. 


	7. What is this guy?

Chapter 6

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Ace woke up the next day, ready to fight.

"More like ready to kill…" Ace shook his head. He found his sage uniform on the bed and wore it. In his head, he reviewed every single spell that could help him today. His gaze moved to the bed beside his and he sighed. He grabbed his dagger, tucked it underneath his robes and went out to the arena, letting the door slam shut. Kat awoke at the bang of the door but quickly went back to sleep.

Ace slowly trudged towards the arena. When he got there, he saw Scythe, his arms around his huntress. He looked away, partly because he was jealous. He found another place to stay and there he meditated until the fight began. Ace opened his eyes, "It's time," and stood up.

Quickly he went to Scythe's side.

"Ready Ace?" Scythe asked eagerly, katars disengaging.

"Always am…" Ace grumbled, playing with the dagger in his hands.

The knight, with the priest they were fighting stood on the opposite side of the arena. Both tensed as they waited for the signal to start. A whistle was blown and each geared up for the fight.

Ace concentrated hard. He conjured up a long wall of flame from the ground beneath, stopping the knight from his charge. He saw Scythe jump the wall and gave Raven two gashes on his armored chest. The knight groaned in pain. Ace turned his head at the figure behind Raven as soon as he saw the knight's wounds close.

"Stupid priest…" he swore to himself.

"Concentrate your magic on the priest," Scythe yelled as he lunged at the knight. Ace turned to face Avalon.

"Damn it…I wanted to fight the knight…But you'll have to do…" he said, advancing on his target. His mouth moved to the words of the spells in his head. He stopped only to see his spell's completion. Red hot bolts hit the priest, burning him. To Avalon's dismay, he couldn't heal the sores on his body.

"Nice work Ace! Now I can concentrate on Raven," Scythe yelled, getting ready to slash the knight once again. Ace paid him no attention.

"Surprised? It's called Magnetic Earth!" Ace explained to the man before him, all the while conjuring up another spell. A suppressed scream came from Avalon as he lightning bolts hit him on the chest. The sage laughed at him.

"How do you like it?" Ace cast a stream of ice towards Avalon as he saw the priest bring out a huge swordmace from behind him. Too late, he was frozen. The sage smirked evilly, sending chills down everybody's spine.

"AHHHHH!!!!" Avalon screamed in pain. Sparks of lightning electrocuted him. His frozen state only doubled the torment.

"One final blow…Choose, burnt, frozen, or fried?" the smirk was still on Ace's face.

"Oh, I think I'll choose for you…" Ace walked around the weakened form of Avalon, chanting his spells. The priest looked at him in horror; he was too weak even to heal himself.

"Guess this is the end…" he let loose all the energy he had built up inside. Atop the priest's body, a huge sphere of crimson red appeared. It crackled and grew in size. Then, several spears of fire erupted from within it, aimed at the priest below. He was burnt to the skin soon after. No longer could he stand the pain and collapsed on the arena floor.

"The winner is…Scythe and Ace!!" Arthur said regretfully. Ace saw the assassin run to Ann and Michael, The huntress hugged him hard.

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A lone sage walked the halls of the Zenith base. He saw Scythe again, bags packed.

"Guess they're leaving…Maybe I should too…There's nothing left for me here…" Ace sighed as he reached his room. Inside he saw Kat sleeping on her bed.

"She didn't watch…" he climbed onto his bed and rested.

"You were terrific Ace…" Kat whispered as Ace slept.

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After a few hours of sleep, the sage stood up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. He noticed an empty bed with only a letter on top.

"I'll read it later…" he said as he picked it up and put it in his robes. Inside the bathroom, he wet his face and his hair and pushed it back with his hand.

"I think I'll visit the town…Not much to do here until the siege…" he told himself. He walked the halls once again towards the entrance. As soon as he got into town, someone yelled out his name.

"Ace! Hey man!" it was Jack Nols, the rogue.

"Jack! Hehehe," they gave each other high-fives.

"Where's Kat?" Jack looked around hopefully.

"Uh…She went somewhere…" the sage said, a tone of sadness present in his voice. But he cheery rogue failed to notice it.

"Oh…Less fun for her. C'mon Ace, the rest are waiting near Payon Cave," Jack said as he started walking.

"Huh? Why?" Ace walked with him.

"Yep, we heard something's up at the bottom of the caves," Jack replied.

"Really? Is it Moonlight?" Ace blinked once.

"Huh? Yeah, Moonlight is up. How'd you guess?"

"Just a hunch?" Ace told him. Jack felt like Ace was hiding something from him but he shrugged it off as they neared the cave's entrance. As Jack said, Nicholas, the hunter, Lance the bard and Regan, his dancer friend were waiting there. Each said their hellos as they walked inside, They quickly traversed the caves.

"No sweat…" Lance commented.

They were at the entrance of the bottom level. Nicholas released two arrows at a nearby sohee.

"Why are there so many? Was it like this before?" Jack asked, dropping to ground, exasperated.

"Something's happened…I'd better contact Father soon…" Ace whispered to no one. After they had rested a bit, all of them entered only to see a pack of ninetails waiting for them.

"Wait…Ninetails…That means…" Regan started to say. A bell rang at her words and a small shadowed form approached their group. Nicholas and Lance readied arrows on their bows as Jack and Regan took out a dagger each.

The figure disappeared only to reappear behind Ace and pulled on his robe. Ace wasn't even a bit shocked. He lowered his head to Moonlight's mouth, and then she whispered something in his ear. To the group's surprised, Ace smiled.

"What's up with these two?" Jack relaxed a bit, lowering his dagger. The others did the same.

"Guys, you can all relax here, they won't hurt you," Ace told them.

"Huh? Why?" Regan asked.

"It's okay Regan. Moonlight here is a friend of mine," Ace smiled looking at Moonlight. The four stood their, mouths dropped in surprise. They couldn't believe it. Ace was actually friends with a monster, Moonlight no less.

"Just who is this guy…" Regan mumbled to herself.

The other three sat down as the ninetails neared them. They tensed again but relaxed once more when the foxes laid their heads on their laps.

"This isn't so bad," Jack said out loud, stroking the fox's head. Ace and moonlight were talking once more.

"I think Moonlight likes Ace…Hehehe…"Jack whispered to the group and they laughed together. Then Ace walked towards them.

"Guys, I have to go now, time for the siege," Ace explained. They all stood up and said goodbye to him.

"And don't worry about them attacking alright?" he added. They nodded their heads.

"Nice seeing you again, wanna go exploring again sometime?" Jack asked them.

"Sure, we'll talk," Ace winked. He took one last look at Moonlight, waved and smiled then broke a butterfly wing. With that, he disappeared.

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Sorry it's a bit short...I'll try to prolong the next chapter.


	8. Wars

Chapter 7: Wars

"Ace! Where the hell have you been!" someone shouted as Ace got inside the Zenith base. Two arrows barely missed the sage's head, as he ducked for cover. Several yells of pain came to Ace's ears. Just how he liked it. He smirked as he readied a spell. He pointed a finger at the hunter who had tried to shoot him earlier. His hand crackled with blue energy. After a few seconds, he released what he had built up. Streams of freezing ice went from Ace's palm to the hunter, encasing him in a block of glacier. He looked to his right as a wizard hurled a ball of lightning at the frozen body in front, frying it dead.

"Good work sage, now go to the emperium room, our leader needs assistance. I'll take care of things here," the wizard told him, already fatigued. Ace nodded and ran for the said room. On the way, several bodies lay on the floor, either dead or barely alive. Ace just continued on, not bothering to check on the bodies. Soon, he reached the door that led to his destination.

"The door won't –ungh- budge," he said warily. He decided to just kick it down, and that, he did. The sight that greeted his eyes devastated him greatly. Ace just stood there, mouth agape.

"Oh my god…" he gasped, staring still at the lifeless bodies in front of and beside him. Slowly, he walked towards the huge golden crystal in the center. After he took a few steps, he heard a light groan to his right. His head turned sharply, desperately trying to find source. When he found it, he rushed to the spot.

"Arthur…? Arthur! Wake up!" Ace screamed at the fragile looking wizard in his arms.

"Ace? Is that you?" he said weakly, coughing at every word.

"Protect the emperium crystal Ace…" the wizard told him, inhaling deeply. Ace gently lay Arthur's body on floor as he heard shattering behind him. A quick turn of his head and he saw where the sound was coming from. A monk, clothed in a deep shade of red, was bashing fiercely the crystal in front of her, emitting sparks as each punch connected. Ace quickly ran to her, stumbling over a dead knight on the floor. As soon as he reached the garbed woman, he took out his dagger and thrust it heavily towards his target. A loud clang signaled that the attack was unsuccessful.

"Damn it…" Ace mumbled as he jumped backwards to avoid a jab to his gut. Only at this moment that he realized that this was a woman. A woman of one the highest ranks in the whole of Midgard, one of the fabled Champions. I'm in more trouble than I thought, he thought as he strafed to his right to avoid being hit.

The woman stepped back, parrying a pitiful stab from her foe. She raised her right hand, whispered a short in incantation and five glowing spheres came to her side, encircling her with their luminous glow. In a flash, she disappeared, only to reappear behind the startled sage. She quickly followed with her three hit combo to his back, sending him flying. As Ace regained his stance, to his dismay the champion had once again disappeared. Instinctively, he raised his head to see a gloved hand coming towards his head. He sidestepped to the right, thrusting his dagger as the woman came down. A squirt of blood and a seething smile by Ace came after.

"Ugh…Lucky hit sage…" the champion staggered and leapt far from Ace. She landed on her knee, placing her palm over the wound, closing it. She stood up, went into her fighting stance and grinned. Ace merely looked a her, in his own stance as he readied his dagger and guard in front. Once Ace opened his mouth to cast his spell, she lunged. He barely dodged the punch but easily recovered. In return, he slashed at her diagonally, only managing to shred a piece of her robe. Both came face to face as they recovered from each other's attacks. Once more, they leapt to attack. The champion landed gracefully while Ace fell, gripping his side as her fist connected with it, hurting him severely. The woman took this opportunity to activate Fury, a special monk technique. Her fist collided with the ground as she gathered unfathomable energy to her body. White energy crackled as her spirits disappeared. She felt the power course through her very veins.

As Ace got up, stumbling a bit, placed the tip of his dagger on his right hand's open palm. After a few words of concentration, the dagger stood straight on its own, still pointing downwards. It pierced his hand, making him wince but he managed to stand the pain. Blood trickled down his hand onto the floor. Ace sheathed the dagger as he whispered more words once again. He let the blood drip and collect on the marbled floor. Soon a bloody pool was growing steadily. The woman's eyes widened in surprise at the sight before her. The blood glowed a deep red, darker than the blood itself. The pool rippled for a brief moment. Then slowly, a figure in the form of a paw, came out. Soon an animal, a fox, formed, drenched with the blood. It went to Ace's side, nipping at his robes. He kneeled and cradled it in his arms, feeding it some meat. Ace smiled evilly.

"Wha-," was all the woman could say as the fox darted up to her, fangs bared. She managed to avoid a bite to her arm as she used Snap to escape. The fox once again was on her. She jumped back behind the fox to escape another lethal bite to her neck. It turned to face her and ran at full speed. The woman was spent and she knew she couldn't escape this one so she braced herself. What she thought to be another attack to her leg turned out be a whip to her face. She did not expect this turn of events so now her head was heavily laced with bruises and cuts, all with blood seeping out. She placed her palm over face for another Heal spell but to her dismay, she couldn't. A laugh made her turn towards her opponent once again. The fox was at his side again, nipping at his robes. His hand outstretched, powder in his palms. He winked.

"How do you like Magnetic Earth miss?" Ace asked innocently, still a smile on his face.

"Don't like it one bit sage," the Champion replied, instantly disappearing from where she stood only a second before. Ace turned sharply to locate his target. The Ninetails beside him growled menacingly as it tried to help its master. The pair failed to notice two gloved hands homing in on their unguarded heads. They were knocked back, Ace grabbed the Ninetails in his arms as they skidded across the room. The woman followed up with another blow to his back. And another, and another. Ace couldn't stand to defend himself since he was preoccupied with his Ninetails. With one last punch from the champion, Ace was sent hurtling into a wall, leaving a dent in it. As he tried to stand, he whispered words to his Ninetails and it disappeared. He grit his teeth and his eyes glinted menacingly. When the woman saw this she staggered back. She had never seen these kinds of eyes before, like they belonged to a devil. He brought his dagger, now a shade of deep crimson. It was giving of a reddish aura, spreading to Ace's arms, then to his body until it covered his whole being. Though the woman showed signs of surprise, this was not new to her. She has seen this in the past, and it meant that something was about to happen once again. Something the people of Midgard wouldn't expect to happen again.

"This can not be…How come you wield this dagger?" she questioned him, seemingly afraid of the sage.

"Why do you care woman?" Ace's voice boomed, advancing towards her. The woman stepped back, beads of sweat now forming on her forehead and body. Then, Ace's body blurred out of sight. After a quick second, she felt something sting at her neck. She swore inwardly.

"Don't move if you don't want to die…" the sage warned her. She just grinned and used her elbow to hit Ace's stomach, again knocking him back. He dug his dagger into the floor to stop moving. On instinct, he raised the weapon to his face, successfully blocking the champion's blow. He countered with a slice to the woman's arms but missed by a few inches. Once again, he tried to slice her but to no avail. She jumped back, into her fighting stance, hand raised for protection. Then she extended her arm made a come hither gesture.

Ace dashed towards her, dagger held tightly in his hand. After five steps he vanished once more, appearing above the champion's head. She raised her fist to block the incoming attack. Her arm followed suit, aiming for Ace's chest. He crashed into the roof, falling hard seconds after. He gathered what strength he had left, trying to stand up to defend himself. He knew he wouldn't last any longer if this continued on. Preparing himself, he placed arms in a cross formation, bracing for the champion's next attack.

The woman took one step forward, concentrated and once more summoned her five spirit spheres. She clenched her right fist, whispered the incantation for Fury, and absorbed her spheres into her body. She was charged with so much spiritual energy. She stood up again, both palms open, facing upward. Suddenly, they glowed bright and the five spirit balls erupted from them. The luminous spheres gave off such a bright light that Ace had to cover his eyes from the intensity. After invoking the power of speed upon herself, she sped towards the awaiting sage, her body in pain from all the stored up energy inside. She looked into Ace's fierce eyes. One step forward. Ace stepped back, arms still crossed. Second step. She mumbled something that the sage could not understand. Ace clenched his fists in anticipation. Third step…Fourth step. Fifth. Moroccan symbols slowly appeared above the both of them. Ace kept on retreating until he reached the far wall. Here, he stared at the woman. Again she vanished. Ace closed his eyes. The five spirit spheres appeared around his body, followed closely by the woman. She reeled back and delivered her final blow. All five spheres were absorbed into her fist as it connected with Ace's chest. Blue energy erupted and engulfed Ace, who was screaming in pain. The scream of defeat.

"Asura Strike…" he heard the woman say as she went through him. His limp body slid to the floor. He had enough energy left to see the woman drink a flask of a blue liquid. She went to the crystal, shattering it with one last blow. He heard the sound of teleportation as his eyes closed. Slowly, the dear life that he once possessed slipped out of his unconscious form, leaving him in a world of total darkness.


End file.
